Eternity
by Alex Verse Naberrie
Summary: Jim told Sherlock a fairy tale about child in the bell jar and then eternity looked much more different then before.


**A/N: Sherlock lost at the end of S2.**

"Sherlock, how about this? Once upon a time, in far away kingdom lived a little girl with sky-blue eyes..."

"Stop now, Jim. Don't you see that I'm working?"

"Oh, come on! Leave these papers, laptop..."

"Give that back."

"...and take a break." Jim said pushing the detective on the sofa. "See? This is much more comfortable than your chair."

"So I don't have to help you with breaking into a computer of corrupted politician?" Sherlock resisted the spider's pull.

"Don't be ridiculous, doofus. Of course you must! How in other way can I earn 5 billion dollars in one day? But my dear, I trust you to have everything ready on time."

"You _asked_ me to complete it before midnight. I can't waste time. I may not manage...Ugh." Holmes winced, when Moriarty pushed him painfully down.

"Then, you can blame only yourself. Sit down!"

"Let's get over with it... before your whining will give me a headache."

"Really? It must be only you, no one has ever mentioned anything about it. Even Seb... and he spends with me much more time than you."

"Or they just want to live another day..." Holmes muttered.

"And please DO hold your tong, because somebody may lose it." Jim threatened from his place near to his detective. "An old landlady perhaps?"

"Go on."

"The girl was like an angel. Even not a teen, her smile could make the most cruel man quit his lifestyle and turn to the good. Moreover, her honest desire to help others only proved more that she really was a heaven's creature. Then, the God decided to give the girl an eternal youth, so her beauty and kindness would never perish."

"It's biologically impossible..."

"Hush, dear."

"Yes, Jim."

"The child never died, but also never grew up. One day, a rich Lord decided to keep her as his companion and took the small angel to his enormous estate."

"Sounds familiar."

"No, it isn't. You are here, because you had lost and I chose to keep you." He moved to brush Sherlock's hair, but he drew away.

"Let's go back to our story." Holmes asked.

A moment of displeasure appeared on Moriarty's face, but he continued.

"The man put her in a huge bell jar made from glass with many plush pillows inside…"

"And she suffocated, the end."

"You're funny." He chuckled and even without Sherlock's consent, the spider came closer. "She was a blessed being, who didn't have to eat or breath. The girl-angel may be small and defenceless, but if hurt – her wounds would heal in no time. The God protected his creations."

"At least she wasn't expensive."

"The child brought of good fortune to the Lord's house, who with every passing day became more and more famous. Guests from the farest lands came to meet the amazing girl and left many valuable gifts behind. After forty joyful years, the Lord, as the angel's parents before, knew that his time was coming. However he didn't fear about his future, nor about the blessed child's. His sons, who also cherished the angel as their own sister, would take care of her. Then his grandchildren, their ancestors and so on. In the end, the girl lived happy and ever after."

"You must be joking, Jim."

"Why not? She had people, who loved her and were kind to her. They all wanted what was the best for her... Just like for you."

"Let go of my hand."

"No."

"Mycroft hardly wanted me to be with you."

"True. But you must admit that he had this one tinny bit of relief, that at last he doesn't have to worry about you ending in some drugs den. Moreover, he knew that I could keep you much safer than him."

"Excuse me?"

"I feed you, wash you, take you on regular walks...Have you ever been bored with me?"

Holmes turned away.

"My poor Sherlock, aren't you curious what the girl thought?" The villain pushed.

"The child chose to stay put and when she wasn't moving, she could forget that there is a wall between her and the world."

"Exactly, she did forgot and the smile never left her face." Something dark glinted in Jim's eyes, when he crept near his prey's face. "How would you spend the eternity? Wouldn't you want to be happy?"

"Take your hands off...ugh."

"Remember, I may allow for your grumbling or interrupting me when I tell you a story, but back off, before you hit the glass wall." He stood up and pointed at the Sherlock's desk. "Now, get to work. I expect you to bring me the laptop at evening."

"These aren't lower rated fire walls, I need more time to break..."

"I've changed my mind!" Moriarty shouted, then added calmly: "And I'll feel lonely in bed tonight."

"Please, before you go." Holmes had gone too far and the night will be the hard one, however the detective could somehow weaken the blow. Since the Reichenbach, Sherlock knew that his life would not be easy. Even when Jim insisted that they are the same, the criminal still was an enigma too him. With his constantly changing moods, most of spider's henchmen just stayed silent, of course Sherlock Holmes would not be himself if he was forced to shut up (even when results weren't pleasant). Moriarty adored teasing him, showing one thing, but always keeping the other hidden for the detective to discover. The fairly tale about the eternal child wasn't an exception. "You said that the Lord's family took care of the girl. As preposterous as it seems, but do you have any children?"

"I don't know. There must be some." He laughed aloud seeing Sherlock's shocked face."What? Expecting a Star Wars scene, where Darth Jim suddenly turns to the Light just because his baby Jedi asks him?

"I'll pretend that I haven't heard these nonsenses. What kind of ancestors did you mean?"

"Sherlock, it's just a fairly tale, who said that they have to be related? But..." He winked and sat down again. "It's also possible."

"When we made the deal to protect my friends, you clearly stated that if any of us die, no matter the circumstances, John and others will meet the same fate... Are you proposing an alternate solution?"

"May I hold you now?"

Holmes cursed himself, Moriarty could play the game, but it had to be according to his rules.

"...Yes."

"I'm still considering it." Jim replied, when his both hands surrounded Sherlock's waist. "Hardly any villain would like to share his treasure."

"Whom you would give me?"

"May I?" he brushed Holmes' cheek.

"You may." And he didn't have to wait long for Jim to came crushing down at him.

"A soul mate."

"Bullshit." Sherlock breathed, when it was over.

"Oh, you know, when you meet him or her, the universe just explodes! Sometimes five minutes are enough." He could swear that in that moment, Moriarty's eyes saw somebody else.

"Funny, I've thought that I'm your soul mate." Holmes tried to lighten the mood or just reassured himself that Jim was only joking.

"No, you aren't, but you are much more valuable, because you are me." He stood up and pointed at laptop. "Don't keep me waiting, my dear."

 **A/N: I hope that when Jim mentioned his relatives or soul mate, it was clear that he meant his brother (whom, I hope that he was alive during S2-S3) and Euros.**


End file.
